The three first 1. Hallowed be thy name 〈…〉 2. Thy Kingdom come 〈…〉 3. Thy will be done 〈…〉 The other three 1. Give us this day c. Do concern man 2. Forgive us our Trespasses Do concern man 3. Lead us not into c. Do concern man XI TO pray in some language not understood by the Congregation is unlawfull because it is unfruitfull to edification (a) To pray with an unprepared heart and unpremeditated words delivering rude and crude and undigested thoughts doth not consist with that (b) reverence that is due to the Majesty of God when we make our addresses unto him XII HE that composed this prayer did also impose it and command it to be used and therefore it is not warrantable to lay it quite aside though we be qualified to make prayers of our own for as this doth not exclude other prayers 3. so neither must other â—â—â—yers exclude this But it may be use◠〈◊〉 at the beginning of our devotion or at the close of it as the antient Church indifferently used it THE PRAYER MOst glorious Lord God whose Essence is infinite and whose Majesty is incomprehensible how little do we know of thee (a) at this distance from thee we cannot order our speech unto thee by reason of darkness we are weak and feeble creatures full of wants and we are vain things full of vain imaginations and fond desires and therefore are often frustrated in our requests unto thee and expectations from thee we (b) ask and have not because we ask amiss our very prayers being often offensive because they are mingled with folly and vanity Thou hast therefore in great mercy and kindness towards thy servants given us a form of wholsome words to direct us how to speak unto thee to teach us what is necessary for us to ask and fit for thee to grant Gracious Lord as thou hast put thy words (c) into our mouths so put thy Spirit into our hearts that we may â—â—â—y in the power and demonstration of the Spirit that we may lift up clean hands and pure hearts unto thee and put on reverence and godly fear in all our approaches unto thee supported with this assurance that thou art our father though we be not worthy to be called thy sons (d) and that we have an Advocate with the father (e) who hath taught us to pray and say our Father c. OF THE SACRAMENTS I. THe New Testament Sacraments are certain visible signs and seals ordained by our Saviour Christ relating to some invisible grace represented by them and conveighed in them to the meet and worthy Partakers II. THe Sacraments are ordained in corporeal and visible elements or symbols in regard of mans weakness and frailty whose understanding must be instructed in heavenly mysteries and whose affections must be excited or stirred up to religious duties by the help of visible forms representations and objects III. THe Sacraments do not work grace of themselves by some inherent vertue in them But in regard of the strict (a) union and relation between the sign and the thing signified and the spirit and power of Christ concurring (b) with his own Ordinances who doth not delude men with mock-shews much benefit is derived in them and by them where the partakers do not put a bar or obstacle by their own unworthâ—ness IV. THere are but two Sacraments that are properly so called and which are necessary for all persons unto salvation namely (a) Bâ—ptism and the Lords Supper (b) Whereof the one is a Sacrament of our initiation or entrance into the visible Church The other of our continuation in it V. THe Word and Sacraments are essential characters of Gods Church or tokens to know it by where these are rightly dispensed there is a true Church (a) and where these are wanting though there may be a convention or assembly of men yet it is not properly a Church of God VI BAptism is not onely a sign of the new Covenant (a) made â—o Christ or a distinguishing ordinance between believers and unbelievers Bâ—t also a b seal to ratifie consign and make over as it were under seal the promises of God made in Christ unto every true Believer VII THe sleighting or neglecting of the Baptism of water where it may be had or any other Ordinance of Divine institution is a soul endangering sin and imports a contempt of the Author and a rejecting of the counsel of God (a) Gods anger was highly incensed against Moses (b) for not Circumcising his child in due time according to the command (c) VII THe young children of believing Parents are capable of Baptism as the children (a) of the Israelites being but eight daies old were of Circumcision And where but one of the Parents is a believer the children are admitted unto those favours and privileges of the Church that do belong unto that Parent as a believer (b) IX THe Lords Supper was instituted by Christ not onely for a memorial of his death (a) but also for a means of applying his merits to the partakers (b) for the increasing of love and amity among the faithfull and for the strengthening of their faith and love towards God by these outward tokens and pledges of his love to them (c) X. FOr the due receiving of this Sacrament it is necessary that a man (a) examine himself but not so expedient that he should examine others whether they be worthy or unworthy No man is partaker of another mans sins except he be accessary thereunto either by counsel (b) or consent (c) or approbation or some such way XI THe frequent use of the Lords Supper in due manner besides other benefits serves much to the advancement of piety and a holy life For thereby we are called to a re-inforcing of our watch to descend to that most usefull and necessary duty of self-examination (a) or searching our own (b) bosoms to purge out (c) the old leaven and all impurity that is there contracted and lastly to a renewing of our vows and promises made in baptism of serving God with more circumspection and vigilance XII THe Sacraments are not temporary Rites but standing appointments in the Kingdom of Christ and of perpetual use in his Church until his second coming (a) None can arrive at such (b) perfection in this life as to be above Ordinances or not to stand in need of them for the uses before mentioned for which purposes all sober and humble Christians have found them usefull and efficacious XIII ONely those that are law 〈…〉 to Ecclesiastical Ministeries 〈◊〉 (a) lawfully Administrators of the Sacraments They are the Keepers of the Seals and are entrusted to apply and dispense them to such persons as desire them and are meetly qualified for them THE
and the bewailing of what we cannot do is all that the mercifull God requires at our hands in this point VII THe precepts of the first Table do contain the duty of man towards God being given to direct him in the service of his Maker and in performing both the internal (a) and external worship that is due unto him For he that made both soul and body expects the service of both and to be glorified in both (b) VIII THe precepts of the second Table do contain the duty of man towards his Neighbour obliging him to love him (a) as himself as his fellow-creature (b) hewn out of the same (c) rock made by the same hand and bearing the same stamp impress and superscription with him even the (d) image of him that made both the one and the other IX THe Commandements are but few in number and short in words but they contain much in a little For where any particular Virtue is commanded all Virtues of the same kind are under that name commanded And where any Vice is forbidden all Vices of that race and kind are forbidden likewise X. WHere any Virtue is commanded there the opposite Vice is forbidden and where any Vice is forbidden the opposite Virtue or duty is commanded by the Rule of Contraries As where stealing is forbidden there honest labour frugality and industry in our calling is imâ—plicitly commanded that men need not be forced to steal XI WHere any duty is commanded there all lawfull means conducing to that duty are cacitly commanded And where any vice is forbidden there all the means and occasions (a) as also the allurements and provocations that do any way tend or induce thereunto are likewise forbidden THE PRAYER MOst holy God who art glorious (a) in holiness and who wilt be sanctified (b) in all that come nigh unto thee Thou hast been graciously pleased to declare thy will unto us and to shew how thou wouldest be served and obeyed (c) and what thou (d) requirest of us while we dwell in Tabernacles of flesh Thou hast given us a holy and a perfect (e) Law to be the Rule of our obedience and the square of all our actions Lord open our eyes that we may see the wonderous (f) things of this Law see the fullness and purity and perfection of it Write it we pray thee in the Tables (g) of our Hearts that we may see it there and do it and assist us with thy good Spirit that we may embrace and follow every virtue that is there commanded and shun every vice that is forbidden and study to be doers of the word and not hearers onely deceiving our own souls (h) And though we are not able through our natural depravedness and corruption to perform thy Law and Commandments so exactly as we should yet O Lord our God we beseech thee to accept of our sincere indeavours who knowest our weaknesses and disabilities knowest what is in man and whereof he is made (i) and dost often accept of the will for the deed even so accept of our imperfect obedience for his sake who hath fullfilled all righteousness and accomplished thy will in all points even Jesus Christ our onely Mediator and Redeemer OF THE LORDS PRAYER I. THere is none in this World that is so full and self-sufficient but doth want somthing and must seek out of himself for a supply of that want Nature (a) dictates and suggests that prayer and supplication is an effectual means to obtain this supply And that humble address must be made to him that hath all and wants nothing (b) II. Though God be rich (a) in mercy towards all and knows all our wants better than our selves yet he expects to be asked before he gives (b) He requires us to acknowledge our (c) wants and weaknesses and to lift up a prayer in faith and then he will meet our desireâ— if they be just (d) and convenient III. MOst men are ignorant (a) in the duty of prayer and know not how to pray as they ought (b) or to pray according to Gods will (c) Therefore our Saviour Christ at the request of his Disciples did prick down a lesson for that purpose as St. John had done for his Disciples (d) He gave them a prayer which they might use without fear of offending by presenting unfit or unlawfull desires IV. THat form of words delivered by Christ in the sixt of Matthew and the eleventh of Luke is not onely a pattern to pray by but also a formal prayer and a full comprehensive one being an Inventary of all our wants and suiting with all persons times and occasions V. AS it is a prayer of it self so it is the law and line of all our prayers The Rule and Directory for composing of all prayers that suit with mens particular occasions And the standard whereby â—hose prayers are to be examined whether they be made according to the pattern shewed in the Mount * VI THe Lords prayer must in all reason be esteemed above the best of hâ—mane compositions 1. By reason of the excellency of the Author who was the Wisdom (a) of his Father and in whom were hid all the treasures (b) of wisdom and knowledge and unto whom the Spirit was not given by measure (c) 2. For the acceptableness thereof with God for when we supplicate the Father not onely in his sons name (d) but also in his sons words we may with good reason suppose that our requests will be the sooner heard and return with better success VII YEt neither the eminency of the composer nor the art of the composition do recommend a prayer so much as true saith (a) and fervent affection (b) as also humility (c) and due reverence (d) which are necessary dispositions and qualifications in any person that shall send up this prayer or any other VIII A â—â—ayer composed by another whither read or repeated by heart is as usefull and prevalent as any made by our selves if devotion be in the heart And the same prayer may be often used as (a) Christ did if the same grace be still wanting God is not delighted with varying of phrases or suits of several dresses IX IN the Lords Prayer we are taught to say our Father In the Creed to say I believe c. To instruct us that every man must believe for himself being to be saved by his own (a) saith But we must pray for others (b) as well as our selves for as charity begins at home but doth not end there so doth prayer though it hath one foot in the center of a man's self the other foot doth fetch a compass about the World X. THe Lords Prayer doth consist of six Petitions equally divided between God and man Whereof
be made to him that hath all and wants nothing God is of his own nature good and also knows all our wants what needs then of praying and intreating Though God be rich in mercy towards all and knows all our wants better than our selves yet he expects to be asked before he gives he requires us to acknowledge our wants and weaknessâ—s to lift up a prayer in faith and then he will meet with our desires if they be just and convenient Will any prayer serve however it be fram'd and composed No Therefore our Saviour Christ knowing that most men are ignorant in the duty of prayer and know not how to pray as they ought and according to Gods will did at the request of his Disciples prick down a lesson for that purpose as John the Baptist had done before for his Disciples He gave them a prayer which they might use without fear of offending by presenting unfit or unlawfull desires Are those words of our Saviour recorded in the sixt of Maâ—thew and the eleventh of Luke a prayer They are a formal prayer and not onely a pattern to pâ—ay by a full comprehensive prayer and a general Inventary of all our wants suiting with all persons times and occasions May not other prayers be made and used besides this Yea doubtless onely this prayer must be laid before us as the law and line of all other prayers the Râ—le and Directory for composing of such prayers as suit with private and particular occasions when every man shall touch his own sore (a) and his own grief This must be the standard or measure whereby thosâ— prayers must be examined whether they be made according to the pattern shewed in the Mount Mat. 5. May not other prayers be esteemed as good as this No sure This prayer must in all reason be reputed above the best of humane compositions 1. First by reason of the excellency of the Author who was the Wisdom of his Father and in whom were hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge and unto whom the Spirit was not given by measure 2. For the power or acceptableness thereof with God for when we supplicate the Father not onely in his Sons name but also in his Sons words we may with good reason believe that our requests will be the sooner heard Is this prayer so acceptable without any other conditions in the person that prayeth No neither the eminency of the composer nor the art of the composition do recommend a prayer so much as true faith and fervent affection as also humility and due reverence which are necessary dispositions and qualifications in the person that presenteth this prayer or any other Is a prayer made by another man usefull Yea a godly prayer composed by another whether read or repeated by heart as may be usefull prevalent as one made by our selves if devotion be in the heart And the same prayer may be often used as our Saviour did if the same grace be still wanting God is not delighted with varying of phrases and suits of several dresses Why are we taught to say Our father in the Lords prayer and I believe in the Creed To instruct us that every man must believe for himself being to be saved by his own faith but we must pray for others as well as our selves for as Charity begins at home but doth not end there so doth prayer if it hath one foot in the center of one's self the other foot doth fetch a compass about the world How many petitions are contained in the Lords prayer There are six equally divided between God and man whereof the three first 1. Hallowed be thy name Do concern God 2. Thy Kingdom come Do concern God 3. Thy will be done c. Do concern God The other three 1. Give us this day Do concern Man 2. Forgive us our trespasses Do concern Man 3. Lead us not into c. Do concern Man Is it any way usefull to pray in an unknown tongue No neither to him that prays nor to the Congregation because it is unfruitfull to edification So to pray with an unprepared heart and unpremeditated words delivering rude and crude and undigested thoughts is unlawfull as not consisting with that reverence that is due to the Majesty of God when we make supplications unto him May not this prayer be wholly forborne and laid aside by them that can frame prayers of their own No the omission of it gives great offence to godly Christians for he that composed this prayer did impose it and command it to be used and therefore it is not warrantable to lay it quite aside though we be qualified to make prayers of our own For as this doth not exclude other prayers so neither must others exclude this but in may be used either at the beginning of our devotion or at the close of it as the ancient Church did indifferently use it OF THE SACRAMENTS WHat is the end and use of Sacraments The New Testament Sacraments are certain visible signs and seals ordained by our Saviour Christ relating to som invisible grace and goodness represented by them and conveighed in them to the meet and worthy partakers Why were Sacraments instituted in corporeal and visible elements It was in consideration of mans weakness and frailty whose understanding must be instructed in heavenly mysteries and whose affections must be excited and stirred up to religious duties by the help of visible forms representations and objects Can the Sacraments work grace upon the soul No as of themselves or by some inherent virtue in them yet in regard of the strict relation that is between the sign and the thing signified and the spirit and power of Christ concurring with his own Ordinances who doth not delude men with mock-shews much benefit is derived in them and by them where the partakers do not put a bar or obstacle by their own unworthiness How many Sacraments be there There are but two which are truly and properly so called and which are necessary for all persons unto salvation namely Baptism and the Lords Supper whereof the first is a Sacrament of our initiation or entrance into the visible Church the other of our continuation in it What are the marks to know the visible Church by The preaching of the Word and the administration of the Sacraments are characters or tokens of Gods Church whereby it may be known discerned For where these are rightly dispensed there is a true Church and where these are wanting though there may be an Assembly or convention of men yet it is not properly a Church of God What is the intent or use of Baptism It was ordained not onely as a sign of the new Covenant made in Christ or a distinguishing Ordinance between believers and unbelievers but also for a seal to ratifie consign and make over as it were under seal the promises of God made in Christ unto every true believer What is the danger of wanting the rite
Articles that are contained in the Apostles Creed Which Creed is the Key to all other doctrinal points of Religion VI THe Patriarchs and Servants of God in old time were saved by the faith contained in this Creed every Article thereof being revealed unto them and to be sound dispersedly in the writings of Moses (a) and the Prophets For as there was but one (b) Church from the beginning of the World so there was but one (c) faith which is common to us and them and to all that shall come after us VII OF those twelve Articles some do concern God the Father as the first Article some concern God the Son as the six Articles immediately following and some do concern God the Holy Ghost as the eighth Article The four last do set forth the state of the Church both in this World and in the nexâ— VIII THe Article of Christ's descent into Hell may safely be understood and believed either of these two waies 1. That the soul of Christ descended locally among the Infernal Spirits not to suffer but to manifest the power of his Godhead which is the interpretation of the Fathers and divers eminent Writers * of later age 2. By descending into Hell no more is to be understood than that Christ descended into the state of the Dead and was there continued for the space of three daies which is more generally received of the later Writers IX TO believe the Holy Catholick Church is to believe that among all the Tribes (a) and Nations of the World God hath some chosen servants a peculiar people whom he hath taken (b) out for his name sanctified with his Spirit (c) called unto the state of grace (d) and ordained unto eternal Glory X. TO believe the Communion of Saints is to believe that the Saints and Servants of God are knit by an invisible tye of faith and love to Christ their head (a) and to each other by common participation and mutual communication of all good things both spiritual and temporal as if they were but one body and were acted by one soul and spirit (b) XI TO believe forgiveness of sins is to believe that God doth freely pardon sin to penitent (a) sinners thtough faith in Christ (b) without any other merit or satisfaction And that he hath given power to his Church (d) to declare and prâ—nounce this pardon in his name upon just and lawfull occasions XII THe Nicene Creed and the Creed of Athanasius are but Paraphrases and Explanations of the Apostles Creed upon occasion of Heresies that sprung up in the Church about those times touching the holy Trinâ—ty and the Incarnation of Christ But they contain nothing material or substantial that is not couched in the short symbol of the Apostles XIII THat little Hymn of glory called Gloria Patri c. is as it were a little Creed and an Abridgement of the Apostolical brought into the Church about the time that Arrianism prevailed for to be a badge to distinguish the Orthodox Believers from the Heterodox or mis-believers For by giving glory to God in this form they confessed the Trinity in Unity which the Arrians opposed A PRAYER BLessed be thy holy name O Lord for all the holy Scripture which thou hast given us for a light unto our feet (a) and a lantern unto our paths And particularly for that part of it which thy holy Apostles have delivered for a Summary of Faith and a Rule of right belief to teach us to know thee the onely true God and Jesus Christ (b) whom thou hast sent Lord strengthen and confirm this faith in us more and more that we being built upon the Rock (c) and the firm foundation of the Prophets (d) and Apostles may stand up stedfast unshaken and unmovable against all the temptations of Satan both against the strong blasts of persecution when any shall arise and against the breath of seducers which do daily lie in wait to deceive and to beguile unstable souls That so holding fast this (f) pledge which was once delivered unto the Saints we may at last obtain the end (g) of our faith even the salvation of our souls through him who is the Author (h) and finisher of our faith Jesus Christ the Righteous Vnto whom with the Father and the blessed Spirit all glory be rendred by all the Church as in the beginning so now and to all ages of the World Amen OF THE COMMANDMENTS I. THe second general Hâ—ad of Christian Religion are the Commandments which are the Breviate of the Law Moral and of all the practical duties of humane life It is the Rule of our obediencâ— the Tree (a) of knowledge of good and evil shewing what is good (b) and what is bad what is to be followed and (c) what to be eschewed II. OUr Saviour Christ did not abolish the Ten Commandments for it is a law founded in Nature (a) and natural equity and therefore is unmovable and unchangable It is the eternal Rule of Justice to all persons to the end of the World for the Gospel doth not exempt any persons from natural or moral obligations at any time III. CHrist freed us from the Ceremonial Law which was grown to be (a) unsupportable but not from the law of good manners (b) which was promulgated upon Mount Sinai He hath freed us also from the rigor and punctuality of this Law but not from the regiment of it And lastly he hath freed us from the curse (c) of this law or the curse annexed to the breach of it when he was himself made â— curse by suffering an accursed death for our sins (d) IV. THis Law called Moral is a holy (a) and perfect (b) Law having a spiritual (c) as well as a literal sense being made to regulate the whole man both outwardly in his members and inwardly for the thoughts and intentions of the heart (d) Christ did fullfill this Law by doing it not by filling up the vacuities of it for there was no defect or imperfection in it (e) V. GOd summed all moral duties in ten general Precepts or Ten (a) Words as Moses calls them Our Saviour Christ reduced these ten into two and St. Paul into one even Love Love (c) is the fullfilling of the Law and the end and complement (d) of it (b) that is Love towards God and Love towards our Neighbour this is the total sum of the Moral Law VI THough the Law be so nice and exact (a) in it self that we cannot perform it so fully as we ought or as it requires (b) nevertheless we may Gods grace assisting us perform it so far as to find a gracious acceptance with him through Christ (c) The doing the uttermost of what we can (d)
surpasseth all other prayers THe Lords Prayer is the Lady of all prayers Tertullian is of opinion that this prayer hath some kind of privilege in heaven above other prayers Haec oratio suo animatae privilegio ascendit in coelum c. and St. Cyprian who â—rod in his Master's steps for so he used to call Tertullian speaks much like his Master in this point God the Father saith he doth acknowledge his sons words and gives a readier ear and a more favourable audience if faith and devotion doth accompany it when requests are presented to him in his sons language Hooker doth hit upon the same string Though men saith he should speak with the tongues of Angels yet words so pleasing to the ears of God as those which the son of God himself hath compos'd are not possible for men to frame We need not doubt saith another of a gracious hearing since the Prince that must hear was the Orator that did pen our prayer and put words into our mouths This is stylus Curiae It is a petition made in the style and form of the Court even the Court of Requests in heaven and therefore is the more passable and current there This cherisheth much confidence and consolation in us saith Calvin that our requests contain nothing that is absurd or offensive to God qui pene ex ejus ore rogamus since we ask nothing but what he himself did dictate unto us and put into our mouths The prayer which John the Baptist prickt out for his Disciples intimated Luk. 11.1 is not now extant upon record It is probable that it soon grew obsolete and out of use when this came up As John himself gave place to Christ so did his prayer to Christ's prayer as the lesser lights use to vanish or grow dim at the presence of nobler Luminaries Sed quorsum perditio haec What needs this waste of words upon such a subject truly the aim is this that since others have decried this prayer so much not onely disusing but abusing it with some derogatory expressions it is a duty we ow to it and the Author of it to cry it up again to its just value and no farther And therefore I shall Super-pondii loco add to the former Elogies this of Dan Tilenus a learned Protestant of Germany Nulla praestantior formula reperiri potest â—ut excogitari quam quae à summê° illo preâ—candi magistro exauditionis mediatore Christo nobis est tradiâ—a nam sive sapientiam spectes ipsamet sapientia dictavit sive perfectionem omnia gâ—uera rerum expetendarum complectitur sive ordinem divina sanè est methodus artifictum APHOR. 5. Set forms of prayer needfull for some and lawfull for all THe truth of this Aphorism was little questioned in former ages the Lords Prayer and other Leiturgies may be read with feeling and understanding saith Mr. Ainsworth an eminent man in his generation A form of prayer being read doth not cease to be a prayer if the Spirit of prayer and supplication be not wâ—â—â—ing in the reader or hearer saith Mr. Perkins who taught England to preach as one saith of him and who alwaies did use one form of prayer before his Sermons Concerning the lawfullness of forms and book-prayers I make no doubt to concur with Bishop Hall in his Soliloquies saith Mr. Baxter a late writer of good note Some reject forms prescribed onely because they are prescribed they affect freedom and liberty so much that they would account their girdles and garters to be bonds and shackles if they were commanded to wear them Davids Psalms make no music in their ears their own Ditties are more harmonious because they are their own though they father them upon a better Author The Saints of old times did not think such prescribed lessons to be restraints upon the Spirit or a quenching of it For that Royal Composer David did give in writing the 105. Psalm to Asaph and his brethren to praise the Lord withall And 7. they did not quarrel at it for long after this King Hezekiah commanded the Levites to sing praise unto the Lord in the words of David and Asaph the Seer The 136. Psalm which begins O give thanks unto the Lord for he is gracious c. was wont to be sung upon several occasions as at going forth to war by Iehosaphat 2 Chro. 20.22 and at the laying the foundation of the new Temple by Zerubbabel Ezra 3.11 And the learned Iunius in his notes on that Psalm saith that this Ode Epainetic or song of praise was sung daily in the congregations as the moral part of the public service And it is vouched by good warrant that the Jews had set forms of praises and prayers in all ages and Buxtorf saith that the thirteen articles of the Jewish Creed was collected by R. Mâ—ses Ben Maimon out of the antient Jewish Liturgies A wise Prince gives thee counsel not to be rash with thy mouth or hasty to utter any thing before God But to be well advised what thou speakest to take heed of too much familiarity with thy Mâ—ker and to remember thy distance that he is in heaven and thou on earth he is a glorious God and thou art but dust and â—shâ—s It was a rash vow of Iephte the first thing that comes to meet me shall be the Lords Judg. 11.31 so if thou sayest the first words that come upon my tongue shall be the Lords they may prove rash and foolish and offensive even the Sacrifice of a fool Before thou prayest prepare thy self and be not as one that tempteth the Lord it is an Apocryphal Text but Canonical counsel Hodâ—è majorem licentiam illicitis suis cupiditatibus homines in precibus indulgent quam si pares cum paribus joco è fabularentur Calvin l. 3. Iâ—st cap. 20 5. APHOR. 6. Prayer in a language not understood unlawfull I Will pray with the Spirit and pray with the understanding also saith St. Paul I will sing with the Spirit and sing with the understanding also else how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen to thy giving of thanks seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest For thou verily givest thanks well but the other is not edified From which words it may be irrefrâ—gably concluded that the congregation must understand the prayers that are put up in the assâ—mbly else they cannot say Amen and they cannot be edified thereby And this may be also cleerly inferred thence that he that is the mouth of the Congregation or else prays in privat must understand himself what he prays else it is but the carcass of a prayer without soul or life in it oratio sine ratione for the heart cannot be affected with what it doth not understand and praying is a work rather of the heart than of the tongue no lip-labour Cardinal Cajetan upon this Text doth
onely badges of Christian profession but also sure witnesses and effectual signs of grace agreeable to the Belgic confession Sacramenta non sunt vana vacua signa ad nos decipiendos instiâ—uta c. For where they are administred and received in the due form and manner we acknowledge that they really give what they promise and are what they signifie on Gods part they give an investiture and possession of the heavenly promises as firmly as a Bishop is invested in his Office per baculum annulum as St. Bernard makes the simile Serm de Caena Dom. The unworthy Receiveâ— indeed doth frustrate and defeat the good that is intended by them and presented in them makes divorce between the sign and thing signified eats the Bakers bread not the bread that came down from heaven Sacramentum non rem Sacramenti If this Romish fansie of the opus operatum were current I marvel why the Sacraments of the old Testament did not confer grace as well as those of the new which they deny making that the main difference between them whereas the truth is they differed onely in the outward symbols not in the inward sense and substance nor yet in the effects for their Sacraments had the same materiam substratam the same invisible grace presented in them though the visible signs were not the same and the worthy partakers did feed on Christ as lushiously and savourly then as others do now they did eat the same spiritual meat and drink the same spirituall drink which was Christ as St. Paul doth expressely teach 1 Cor. 10.3 4. APHOR. 3. They are Seals as well as Signs THe Gospel is the Grand Charter of mans Salvation and the Sacraments are as it were seals appendant thereunto they are not onely signs of some grace exhibited but also seals to ratifie and confirm the promises contained in the Instrument before mentioned As seals are put to civil Contracts and Indentures for a full and final ratification of them This comparison is used by most Writers of the Reformation but it is so foolish in Bellarmine's conceit that nothing can be more and which ought with all diligence saith he to be beaten down Sacramenta dici sigilla vel signacula nusquam legimus nisi in Evangelio secundum Lutherum is the Cardinals witty sarcasm in the forecited Treatise that the Sacraments are called seals saith he we read no where but in the new Gospel according to St. Lather But he might have read it in an old Epistle according to St. Paul who calls Circumcision {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the seal of the righteousness which is by faith that is a seal whereby it was ratified and made sure unto Abraham that he was justified or made righteous before God through faith in Christ Nay the Cardinal himself to prove the Septenary number of the Sacraments doth fetch an argument from the book with seven seals Rev. 5.1 which was the new Covenant with seven Sacraments appendant thereto as he interprets the place if that Text will be of force to evince the Sacraments to be seven in number it will also evince them to be seals for use APHOR. 4. Absolutely necessary where they may be had THe Divine Precept hath layed the highest obligation that may be upon us of using the Sacraments and that with reverence and religion saith Dr. Ames If the Sacraments be wanting unto us through our own default it involves us in guilt saith Augustin neither can that man pretend to a sincere conversion or love to God that contemns any Sacrament of his institution * Faith will not avail any man who receives not the Lords Lords Sacraments when he may saith St. Bernard If this be a duty commanded why may we not slight any other and all other duties as well as this What reasonable hopes hath any man that God will save him by some other means or without means when he hath declared that by these means in conjunction with some others he intends to save Ames calls Baptism one of the ordinary means of Salvation ex istâ hypothesi upon that account he affirms it to be absolutely necessary to Salvation where it is to be had * Except a man be born of water and the Spirit saith Christ he cannot enter into the Kingdom of heaven From hence the antient Fathers did infer the necessity of Baptism But some later Writers have ratified this water into spirit and interpret the words tropically except a man be born of water that is of the Spirit for water is here but an emblem of the Spirit say they as fire is elsewhere Mat. 3.11 But to these I shall oppose the sense and censure of the learned Hooker you shall have his own expressions for they cannot be mended I hold it an infallible rule in the Exposition of Scripture that where a literal construction will stand the farthest from the Letter is commonly the worst there is nothing more dangerous than this licentious and deluding are which changeth the meaning of words as Alchimy doth or would do Metals maketh any thing what it listeth and in the end bringeth all truth to nothing The general consent of antiquity concurres in the literal interpretation and must the received construction be now disguised with a toy of novelty We may by such Expositions attain in the end perhaps to be thought witty but with ill advice so he Non possum quin simplicissimam Theologiam hoc est quae minimè recedit a litera caeteris ut commodiorem praeferam APHOR. 5. Infant-Baptism more antient than the Apostles TO secure the interest of children in this Sacrament who ex praerogativâ sâ—minis as Tert speakes are entitled thereto enough hath been spoken of late years by our English Writers to the conviction of all gain-sayers more particularly by the excellent Dr. Hammond in his Quaerâ—s When we find the practice of baptizing Infants in the Christian Church to be so antient as the very next age to the Apostles and so universal that it was received through all parts of the world where Christ had a Church I cannot see how it could have any other original than from the Apostles who founded the Churches through the World St. Augustine speaking of this usage or custom saith That the Church of God ever had it ever held it and received it Hanc praxin Ecclesia Catholica ubique diffusa tenet Home de Adamo Eva from the Religion of former ages and Calvin saith That the antientest Writers that we have of our Religion do without any scruple refer the original of this practice to the Apostles Nullus Scriptor tam vetustus qui non ejus originem ad Apostolorum tempora pro certo referat But this practice did not begin with or by the Apostles neither for they did but continue what was before in use in the Jewish Church who